What is the difference between personality and character?
Many employers tend to look at the personality and character of a potential employee before absorbing them into their business organization.
The main difference between personality and character is personality shows what you are outside or what you are to the world whereas character reveals what you are inside.
If you are intending to go for an interview soon then it is worth to know the difference between personality and character. Let’s find out on the topic.
What Is Personality?
Personality refers to the outer appearance and behaviour of a person. However, these may or may not the true character of a person.
Personality can also be an individual’s physical, mental, emotional and social characteristics. The personality of a person can easily be observed and understood.
What Is Character?
Character refers to the mental and moral qualities of an individual which tend to set them apart from others. An individual has either good or bad qualities.
An individual character is difficult to identify since it rarely shows up unless in a specific situation. It takes a lot of time to understand an individual character.
Comparison Chart: Personality Vs Character
| Basic Terms | Personality | Character |
| Meaning | This refers to a person’s physical, emotional, mental and social traits. | This refers to a person’s set of mental and moral qualities. |
| Ease of Identification | Can easily be identified through observation and understanding | Tend to be difficult to identify and understand |
| What Is It? | Refer to outward behaviour which creates the impression | Refer to the moral and ethical conduct of an individual |
| Importance | Help in defining an individual | Help in the identification of behavioural patterns |
| Nature | Subjective | Objective |
| Change | Susceptible to changes | Tend to remain the same |
| Validation in Society | Not required | Required |
| Traits | Personal and physical | Moral and mental |
| Represent | Who we seem to be? | Who we actually are? |
| Expression | Outer appearance and behaviour | Abstract traits of a person |
Main Difference between Personality and Character
- Personality is highly susceptible to changes whereas character remain the same
- It is quite easy to identify personality through observation while character tend to be difficult to identify
- Personality represents who we seem to be while character represents who we actually are.
- The nature of personality is subjective while the character is objective
- The traits of personality are personal and physical while those of character is moral and mental.
- Personality help in defining an individual whereas character in identification of behavioural patterns of a person.
- Personality is an expression of outer appearance and behaviour while character the inner true traits of a person.
- Personality does not require validation of society whereas character requires validation of society.
Read More: Difference between Introvert and Extrovert
Comparison Video
Summary
The core difference between personality and character is that personality refers to the outer appearance and behaviour of a person whereas character refers to an inner trait of a person. It takes time to understand the character of a person.
More Sources and References
- https://www.school-for-champions.com/character/character_versus_personality.htm#.X1DJf3kzbIU
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0959354316684689
- https://www.myenglishteacher.eu/blog/difference-between-personality-and-character/